Assessment of organic pollutants in Magellanic penguins Spheniscus magellanicus found on the occidental South Atlantic

Abstract

Penguins are vulnerable to marine pollution because they remain long time in contact with water. Since they do not fly, they have less ability to escape of the presence of contaminants. Migratory routes of Magellanic penguins Spheniscus magellanicus often coincide with regions of intense maritime traffic. In those regions where there are activities with boats, penguins covered with oil or dead can be found. Those seabirds may also be affected by other organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides and polybrominated difenis ethers (PBDEs) that exhibit high persistence and are bioaccumulated and biomagnificated that are distributed even in the most remote places. This study aims at evaluating the PAH biliary metabolites, besides PAHs organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, PBDEs in the liver of magellanic penguins found on beaches of State of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, and Uruguay, Argentina and Chile during the years of 2010 and 2013. Samples have already been collected from approximately 47 bile and 40 liver of Magellanic penguins have found in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro between 2010 and 2012, and the samples will be collected during the project will be analysed. (AU)